Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar participated in a high-level ministerial session of the UN Security Council on the Middle East.
Full Text:
“I come here today, as the Foreign Minister of the Jewish State – in our ancestral homeland – the Land of Israel.
First let me say, it was amusing to hear the representative of Russian Federation speak about law and international law, about occupation, land expansion and peaceful resolution. I must admit, I had to restrain myself from laughing out loud.
Ladies and gentlemen, Around 4,000 years ago, our patriarch Abraham lived and walked in ancient Hebron, Beer Sheba, and Beth-El.
Over 3,000 years ago King David established Jerusalem as our capital.
Jewish presence in the Land of Israel – even throughout our long exile – has never ceased for even a day.
In the history of nations and states – this is probably the clearest case of proven and documented historic rights of any nation to any land.
Amazingly, there are so many powers trying to replace historical truth with modern lies.
The truth is simple.
We are the indigenous people in the Land of Israel.
The archeological findings in our ancient sites, including the City of David, the Western Wall Tunnels and others – tell the history of our land.
This jug handle is from the Kingdom of Judea – 2,700 years ago. It has the stamp of the Jewish king on it.
This coin, from nearly 2,000 years ago, says “Freedom for Zion”.
Found in the Judean desert, it was minted during the second year of the Great Jewish Revolt against the Romans.
How can Jewish presence in our ancient homeland violate international law?
It’s a contradiction in terms.
Madame Secretary,
In 1917 the British government issued the historic Balfour Declaration – in order to reestablish a National Home for the Jewish people in our land.
The same places in the heart of our ancient homeland you claim that Jews are forbidden to live in and that allegedly violate international law – you recognized as belonging to a National Home for the Jewish people.
I want to present a map of the British Mandate, but I’ll first make a disclaimer for the Jordanian Foreign Minister.
We have no claim over Transjordan, I want it to be clear.
This is the map of the of the Balfour Declaration of the British Mandate. Here is Judea and Samaria – some of you call it the West Bank.
In 1921, then Secretary of State for the Colonies Winston Churchill said on a visit to the Land of Israel:
“It is manifestly right that the Jews should have a National Home And where else could that be but in this land… with which for more than 3,000 years they have been intimately and profoundly associated.”
In 1922, the UN’s predecessor – the League of Nations Council – tasked Britain with re-establishing a Jewish national home.
Madame President,
What have you left of the lofty historical tradition of Balfour and Churchill?
The claims in this discussion – as one of many – are yet another example of the hypocritical obsession with Jewish presence in the heart of our tiny land.
The claim that Israelis cannot live in Judea and Samaria, isn’t just inconsistent with international law and Britain’s own Balfour Declaration.
It’s morally distorted.
How can Jews be allowed to live in London or Paris or New York, but not in the cradle of our own civilization: Ancient Jerusalem – which you call East Jerusalem, Shiloh, Hebron and Beth-El?
Madame President,
It is our country, it’s not 13,000 from away from our country, like the Falkland Islands. The Argentinians call it the Malvinas Islands – a dispute you haven’t solved with Argentina until today.
Ladies and gentlemen, President Trump’s 2020 Deal of the Century made it clear – our communities in Judea and Samaria will remain intact in any permanent agreement.
There will be peace one day. It won’t be achieved by removing people from their homes – Jews or Arabs.
The idea that Jewish communities are an “obstacle to peace” is outrageous. It’s disconnected from the current and past reality in Judea and Samaria.
With all due respect – we won’t abandon our heritage, security and future, to ease other countries’ domestic political difficulties.
Israel signed the Oslo Accords – and received a murderous Intifada of suicide attacks.
Israel unilaterally withdrew from Gaza in 2005. We dismantled our communities – and even our cemeteries.
We received the world’s largest terror state in Gaza and the October 7th massacre.
When will you get it?
We will not risk our own existence.
***
Distinguished Members,
The Palestinian Authority – formed based on the Oslo Accords – is grossly violating these agreements upon which it was founded.
The PA committed to fighting terror and incitement. Yet you won’t find terrorists in their jails.
Additionally, the PA legislated the distorted “Pay-for-Slay” policy – providing salaries to terrorists and their families.
The US State Department reported to Congress that the PA committed to paying over 200 million dollars in salaries to terrorists in 2025 alone – significantly more than 2024.
A few months ago, Abbas dismissed his Finance Minister – to shift the blame for Pay-for-Slay on him.
But their new Finance Minister admitted a week ago that Pay-for-Slay will continue despite their financial difficulties.
The PA continues to incite against Jews and Israel – in textbooks, schools, kindergartens, mosques and media.
This map, from a PA elementary school in Hebron, displays skulls on top of Jewish communities.
What’s the message for the children? This is the fate they intend for the Jews.
The PA – just like Hamas – is brainwashing the minds of the next generation to hate Jews.
Under the PA, there is systematic destruction of holy and archeological sites.
The Palestinians used tractors to damage the Biblical site of Mount Ebal.
Palestinians are diverting water and committing environmental offenses to harm our citizens.
Burning of waste in Palestinian areas deliberately pollutes the air and harms the health of residents in nearby Israeli cities.
This body claims to champion environmental protection. Where are your voices?
Nearly 300 structures were built per month only in 2025 by Palestinians in Area C.
Massive illegal building.
It’s a blatant violation of our agreements.
Yet you aren’t saying a word about it.
The condemnations are reserved solely for building intended for Jewish communities.
How many of you condemned the PA’s racist death penalty for anyone who sells real estate to Jews?
Jordanian law – which applies to what you call the “West Bank” – forbids the sale of real estate to any non-Arabs: Jews or non-Jews, Americans, Chinese, Russians.
How many of you – that condemned Israel’s Cabinet decision last week to cancel it – really believe that a racist law like this should exist in 2026?
What choice did we have, other than correcting these twisted injustices – by establishing equality and transparency in real estate transactions in Judea and Samaria?
Our Cabinet decision also protects the property rights of Israelis and Palestinians alike.
Dear Members,
The international community turns a blind eye to the PA’s ongoing practices and violations.
This only pushes a solution to the conflict further away.
You invented a so-called state of Palestine – as if such a state exists or ever existed.
But the truth is simple, there has simply never been a Palestinian state.
You speak of “occupied territories”. How can they be taken from an entity that never existed – by a nation that was always there?
This reminds me of the Roman Emperor Hadrian.
He destroyed Jerusalem and built a new city on its ruins in 130 CE – calling it Aelia Capitolina.
His goal was to erase the memory of the Jewish capital.
Has anyone today heard of Aelia Capitolina?
But everyone knows Jerusalem.
For over 3,000 years – since King David – Jerusalem has been the Jewish people’s eternal capital. And it will remain so forever.
West Jerusalem, east Jerusalem, one Jerusalem under Israel’s sovereignty.
If you wondered where the name Palestine was born, it was the same Hadrian.
He renamed the Land of Israel – “Syria-Palestina” – to try and erase the Jewish connection to our Land.
Another fact: Only Israeli sovereignty over Jerusalem ensures the freedom of worship for all three religions – Jews, Christians and Muslims.
There are over 2 million Arab citizens in Israel.
They enjoy equal rights, they are represented in our Parliament, and in our Supreme Court. And course, they enjoy the freedom of worship.
Muslims around the world are beginning to celebrate Ramadan.
I wish them Ramadan Kareem.
We will continue enabling freedom of worship – including on the Temple Mount.
But during Ottoman rule and through the British Mandate – Jews were forbidden from entering the Tomb of the Patriarchs in our ancient city of Hebron.
Our ancestors were restricted to praying at the seventh step on the outside staircase.
In Yemen today, Christians are banned from practicing their faith openly.
The Iranian regime considers home churches a “national security threat”, not a word about those countries.
Israel is the only power standing against huge forces of barbarism, terror and extremism.
***
Distinguished Members,
Tomorrow, I’ll have the honor of representing Israel at President Trump’s Board of Peace summit in Washington.
We support President Trump’s Plan for Gaza.
At the heart of the plan is the disarmament of Hamas, demilitarization of the Gaza Strip and deradicalization of Palestinian society there.
This is why it’s the first comprehensive plan, that deals with the root problems.
Yet members of this Council attack Israel obsessively, with no connection to reality.
Statements must be connected to reality and to what shapes it.
I want you to honestly ask yourselves – what’s more impactful: this UN meeting, or tomorrow’s summit?
Have you asked yourselves why everyone is focused on tomorrow’s DC summit, and not this meeting?
It’s time to speak the truth.
The Palestinians are at the forefront of Radical Islam’s war to eliminate Israel it hadn’t changed.
And make no mistake – the West is next.
It’s time to stop with the one-sided, unbalanced approach.
I call on the UN to wake up before it loses its remaining importance, influence and status.
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